Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) is the latest to join the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA), a multi-stakeholder organization that brings supply security and measurable social and environmental impact to organic cotton farming. Organic cotton is in high demand for its chemical-free, regenerative properties that are reportedly better for the environment and workers.
By joining the OCA as a contributor, LS&Co. will help increase the global organic cotton supply, which only made up 1 percent of global production in the 2019-20 crop year. Moreover, thanks to its massive reach, the heritage denim brand’s participation will help the program empower organic cotton farmers. The OCA reached more than 12,000 farmers through its farming program from 2019 to 2020, during which 2 percent of participating farmers earned on average 2 percent higher net income from their cotton than conventional farmers.
LS&Co.’s participation brings the brand closer to reaching its goals of sourcing more responsible fibers. In a sustainability report published in September, the company pledged to reach 100 percent more sustainable cotton by 2025.
OCA is gaining traction in the denim space, as Pakistan-based denim manufacturer Soorty recently signed on as a contributor, in addition to bolstering its organic cotton initiative, Soorty Organic Cotton Initiative (SOCI), one of the first private-sector projects set up to facilitate a shift to a more ecologically and socially responsible cotton agronomy.
